Device for providing consumable materials

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device ( 20 ) for providing consumable material ( 24 ) for a packaging machine ( 30 ). The device ( 20 ) comprises a magazine ( 22 ) for the consumable material ( 24 ). The consumable material ( 24 ) for the ongoing operation is removed from the magazine ( 22 ) and fed via a feed device ( 26 ) to the packaging machine ( 30 ). The device ( 20 ) comprises a detection device ( 40 ) for determining an actual quantity (Va) of consumable material ( 24 ) in the magazine ( 22 ). 
     The invention further relates to a method ( 20 ) for providing consumable material ( 24 ) for a packaging machine ( 30 ). The consumable material ( 24 ) is provided as bulk material in a magazine ( 22 ) and is removed from said magazine ( 22 ) by means of at least one conveyor device ( 26 ) and fed to the packaging machine ( 30 ). The magazine ( 22 ) can accommodate a defined maximum quantity (Vmax) of consumable material ( 24 ). According to the invention, an actual quantity (Va) of consumable material ( 24 ) in the magazine ( 22 ) is detected by a detection device ( 40 ) coupled to the magazine ( 22 ).

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application claims the benefit of international application PCT/EP2013/052135, filed on Feb. 4, 2013, which in turn claims the benefit of German application DE 10 2012 10 11 14.1, filed on Feb. 14, 2012, both of which are incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device and a method for providing consumable material for a packaging machine.

BACKGROUND

In the packaging industry, products are frequently produced and/or packaged in a continuous mode of operation. For this purpose, several packaging modules are frequently grouped into one collective work assembly. A filling line in the beverage industry comprises, for instance, a module for producing the beverage containers, in particular a blow molding machine, a module for filling the beverages into the containers, a module for sealing the filled containers, and further modules, according to the requirements, for assembling the filled containers into packaging units and for packaging.

An operator monitors the ongoing operation in such a filling line. The operator has to provide for sufficient consumable material at all times, carry out conversion operations where required, repair defects in the filling line, etc.

Containers of synthetic material, in particular bottles, are often produced in blow molding machines from so-called preforms. The preforms are the consumable material and they are provided in silos and fed to the blow molding machine via an inclined conveyor, for instance. The preforms are preferably delivered as bulk material in packaging units, for instance in boxes or containers, and then poured into the silo.

The operator, who operates and monitors the machine, in general also monitors the filling level of the preforms in the silo in order to ensure that there is always sufficient consumable material for the continuous operation of the blow molding machine. Monitoring in this context is performed by way of visual inspection. A narrow opening or a viewing window is, for instance, provided in the silo for this purpose. The operator then has to assess how much time is left before he has to refill again. In order to avoid a shortage of preforms in the silo, the level is currently monitored by means of a light barrier. When there is only a small quantity of consumable material left in the silo, a message on a display notifies the operator so that he can refill the silo in time.

In the instance of a product change, different preforms will possibly be needed. For this reason, the silo has to be emptied completely first, before the new preforms can be filled into it. This is customarily performed by discharging the preforms via the inclined conveyor. According to the number of preforms left in the silo, this can imply an enormous loss of time during which production is not possible.

DE 203 08 513 U1, for instance, shows a device for feeding preforms to a blow molding machine wherein the preforms are provided in a silo and fed to a heating section via an inclined conveyor, a roller sorter, and an elevator conveyor; and then the preforms are heated in the heating section and subsequently formed in the downstream blow molding machine.

Correspondingly, container caps, for instance, are provided in silos for the purpose of sealing the bottles after these have been filled with beverages. In this context, the silo also has to be emptied completely in the instance of a product change before new caps can be filled into the silo.

The task of the invention is to monitor the quantity of consumable material in a magazine in order to perform an adaptation of the filling level in the magazine in an easy manner.

The above task is solved by a device comprising the features of this invention. The above task is further solved by a method comprising the features of this invention. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described through out this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for providing consumable material for a packaging machine. The device comprises a magazine for the consumable material, from which magazine consumable material is removed during the ongoing process via a feed device and fed to the packaging machine.

Such a device is, in particular, employed in filling lines with a stretch blow molding machine and/or a filler. The term “packaging machine” is to be understood to include, for instance, a blow molding device for the production of containers, in particular bottles, from so-called preforms. The preforms constitute the consumable material, which is provided in a silo and first fed to a heating section via an inclined conveyor, a roller sorter, and an elevator conveyor, for instance, and subsequently fed to a blow molding machine.

The term “packaging machine” is further to be understood to include a sealer, which applies crown caps, or other types of caps, to bottles coming from a filler and filled with a liquid, for instance a beverage or the like. In this instance, the caps constitute the provided consumable material. The packaging machine can also be a so-called unscrambler, which sorts and/or positions the finished bottles, which are delivered as piece goods, so that the said bottles can subsequently be filled.

According to the invention, the device comprises a detection device for determining an actual quantity of consumable material in the magazine. According to a preferred embodiment form, this is a unit for determining the absolute mass of the magazine or of the mass of consumable material in the magazine.

The detection device is preferably coupled to a display unit and/or a control unit. The said unit displays, in particular, the actual quantity of consumable material in the magazine. It can be provided that the detection device determines the mass of consumable material in the magazine and calculates and displays the number of units of consumable material in the magazine based on the known mass per unit of consumable material, for instance, based on the known mass of a preform. Furthermore, it can be provided that the display unit and/or control unit calculates and displays the units of consumable material required for the remainder of the ongoing production based on known and determined data. Furthermore, it can be provided that the time until the next refill of the magazine is calculated and displayed based on the respective actual weight of consumable material and the known throughput.

According to one embodiment form of the invention, the display unit and/or control unit comprises a warning function and produces a warning signal on the actual quantity of consumable material in the magazine falling below a defined minimum quantity. This can be an acoustic and/or an optical signal. In this manner, it can be prevented that the magazine is completely emptied during ongoing operation. Production stop or idle running of the downstream packaging machine is thus prevented.

It is possible to enter certain operating parameters into the display unit and/or control unit in the beginning of a new production. Among these are the following:

-   -   * number of packaging units to be produced and/or     -   * time for producing one packaging unit by means of the         packaging machine=throughput, etc.

The number of packaging units to be produced determines the target quantity of required consumable material. The display unit and/or control unit can, for instance, sum up and display the quantities of the respectively newly refilled consumable material. In particular, it is possible to save the respective actual quantity in a separate data logger of the display unit and/or control unit immediately after each refill of new preforms. Based on the sum of all filling quantities and the known target quantity, the display unit and/or control unit determines the residual quantity of consumable material required until the end of production by subtracting the sum of consumable material that has been filled in from the target quantity. This residual quantity corresponds to the quantity of consumable material that will be required until completion of the packaging process, for instance until a product change etc. The display unit and/or control unit can furthermore display an advantageous division into filling units of the calculated residual quantity. In other words, the display unit and/or control unit specifies, for instance, the number of times the magazine is to be filled to the maximum and a partial quantity to be added to a final charge or the like.

It should be noted in this context that the weight of a unit of consumable material always constitutes an average value, which varies within a certain production-based tolerance range. This tolerance must also be considered and included in the calculation so that there is no shortage of provided units of consumable material left in the magazine in the end. In order to prevent this, an additional sensor can be arranged downstream of the packaging machine for counting the finished packaging units, for instance. This counted value is in turn transmitted to the display unit and/or control unit and then serves as correction value for respectively determining the residual quantity of consumable material as precisely as possible.

The detection device can be arranged below the magazine, i.e. it can be positioned on top of a unit for determining an actual quantity, for instance. The detection device can also be integrated into the base section of the magazine; the base plate of the magazine can be designed as weighing plate, for instance. It is possible to determine the required target quantity of consumable material from the number of packaging units to be produced and the known weight of one unit of consumable material. In other words, it is possible to calculate the number of preform packaging units required for the remainder of the production from the desired number of bottles to be produced, the known weight of an individual preform and the known number or the known weight of a packaging unit, for instance a box, of preforms. The display thus indicates, for instance, whether one complete packaging unit or several complete packaging units of preforms or only a part of a packaging unit of preforms should be filled into the magazine or the silo next.

The detection device can alternatively be arranged upstream of the magazine. In this instance, the quantity of consumable material filled into the magazine is respectively determined. The amount of consumable material that is still required results from the sum of the filling quantities, and again, it can be displayed whether the magazine has to be filled up completely or only partly. A scale installed upstream of the magazine can be designed to be considerably smaller and more precise, thus allowing the required number of consumable units, in particular preforms or caps, to be metered more precisely. In this context, it can be provided for the display unit and/or control unit to display the quantity filled in last and/or the total quantity already filled in.

The display unit and/or control unit is, for instance, stationarily integrated into the device, and a display panel, for instance, is then arranged in such a manner that the values displayed thereon are clearly visible from outside of the device. It can alternatively be provided for the display unit and/or control unit to comprise at least one mobile display panel. The determined or calculated data are transmitted wirelessly, for instance by means of radio communication, from the display unit and/or control unit to the mobile display so that the operator can keep an eye on the data even if he is not immediately next to the machine.

The invention further relates to a method for providing consumable material for a packaging machine wherein the consumable material is provided as bulk material in a magazine and is removed from said magazine by means of at least one conveyor device and fed to the packaging machine. The magazine can accommodate a defined maximum quantity of packaging material. A detection device coupled to the magazine detects the actual quantity of packaging material in the magazine.

This actual quantity of packaging material can be transmitted to a display unit and/or control unit, which calculates a residual quantity of packaging material required for the ongoing production, as already described above.

According to a preferred embodiment form, it may be provided that the display unit and/or control unit displays to an operator the quantity of packaging material that has to be filled into the magazine. It is displayed, for instance, that the magazine can be filled to the maximum or else that the magazine is to be filled only partly for producing the final desired packaging units. In order to further minimize errors in manual filling or partial filling, the display unit and/or control unit can produce a second warning signal when the maximum quantity or the calculated partial quantity of consumable material has been filled into the magazine. This can again be an acoustic and/or optical warning signal.

According to an alternative embodiment form, it can be provided for the display unit and/or control unit to control an automatic filling device. The filling device fills consumable material from a supply into the magazine. The display unit and/or control unit stops the filling process performed by the filling device when the magazine contains the required quantity of consumable material.

In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and their advantages. The size ratios of the individual elements in the figures do not necessarily reflect the real size ratios. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in relation to other elements to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a device according to the prior art of DE 203008513 for feeding preforms.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment form of a device according to the invention for providing preforms.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment form of a device according to the invention for providing preforms.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment form of a device according to the invention for providing preforms.

The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated by identical reference characters. Furthermore and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing the respective figure are provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples of the device and method according to the invention, while indicating preferred embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a device 1 according to the prior art of DE 203008513 for feeding preforms 2. The preforms 2 are provided as bulk material in boxes 3. Preforms 2 are transferred into a silo 4 at periodic intervals, poured into the silo 4, and there form the supply of preforms 2 for the blow molding machine 11. The preforms 2 reach a roller sorter 6 via an inclined conveyor 5, where they are accordingly aligned. Via an elevator conveyor 7 and a slide 8, the preforms 2 reach an infeed star 9 of a heating section 10. The slide 8 additionally effects a buffer function, which allows for uninterrupted feeding into the heating section 10 and into the subsequent blow molding device 11. According to the employed blow molds, the preforms 2 are formed into bottles 12 in the blow molding device 11, with said bottles 12 being fed via a conveyor 13 to further processing devices (not illustrated here), for instance a filler or the like. The arrows represent the transport direction TR of the preforms 2 or the bottles 12.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment form of a device 20 according to the invention for providing preforms 24. The preforms 24 are removed from a silo 22 and fed to a blow molding machine 30 via a removal conveyor 26.

Below the silo 22 is a scale 41 which determines the actual quantity Va of preforms 24 located in the silo 22 and displays it at a display unit and/or control unit 42. From the known mass Vs of a preform 24 it is then possible to calculate, for instance, the current number Na of preforms 24 in the silo 22. It is furthermore possible to calculate the time t until the silo 22 has to be refilled with preforms 24 again based on the measured actual quantity Va and the known throughput D.

The display unit and/or control unit 42 preferably comprises a mobile display 43, in particular a touch pad, which the operator can carry along and to which the determined and calculated data of the display unit and/or control unit 42 are transmitted by means of radio communication. This enables the operator to organize his time better. He can thus also structure and organize his work better.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment form of a device 20 according to the invention for providing preforms 24. The preforms 24 are located in a silo 22, from where they are removed and fed to a blow molding machine 30 via a removal conveyor 26 (cf. also FIG. 1). The silo 22 is associated with a detection device 40. In particular, the silo 22 is arranged on a scale 41, which respectively determines and displays the mass Va of the preforms 24 located in the silo 22. The display is performed via a display panel 43 of a display unit and/or control unit 42. The display panel 43 can be located directly at the scale 41, for instance. Alternatively, it can be a mobile display, to which the determined values are preferably transmitted wirelessly, in particular via radio communication, so that the operator can read the values even if he is not immediately next to the device 20.

It is possible to save certain production parameters to the display unit and/or control unit 42 in the beginning of each new production. These include, for instance:

-   -   the known mass of an individual preform 24;     -   a maximum storage quantity Vmax of preforms 24 in the silo 22;     -   a minimum storage quantity Vmin which the preforms 24 in the         silo 22 are not to fall below in order to prevent undesired         interruptions of the ongoing operation;     -   the desired production quantity of bottles to be produced, which         results in the target quantity and thus the target mass Vt of         required preforms 24; etc.

The display unit and/or control unit 42 saves, for instance, the data on the quantities Vi of preforms 24 already filled into the silo 22. Based on the sum of the filling quantities Vi and the known target quantity Vt, the display unit and/or control unit 42 calculates a quantity Vr of preforms 24 that are required for the remainder of the planned production.

From this residual quantity Vr, the display unit and/or control unit 42 can determine a filling plan, which specifies, for instance, that the silo has to be refilled three more times, each of these times with a maximum quantity Vmax of preforms 24 and subsequently only once more with a partial quantity Vp. For instance, three times, each time four packaging units (3, cf. FIG. 1), and subsequently only a partial quantity Vp of approximately 2.5 packaging units of preforms 24 are poured into the silo 22. This partial quantity Vp is calculated such that none or only a small number of preforms 24 will be left in the silo 22 at the end of the production. In particular, the partial quantity Vp takes into account the fact that the mass of the individual preforms 24 is subject to fluctuations in a certain range of tolerance. This ensures that the silo 22 is largely empty at the end of production and that the loss of time for the complete emptying of the silo 22 is kept as low as possible.

It can furthermore be provided that a first warning signal 51 is produced when the scale 41 determines that the quantity of preforms 24 left in the silo 22 has fallen below a defined minimum Vmin. This is to prevent the ongoing operation of the blow molding machine 30 from being stopped due to inadequate infeed of preforms 24.

Furthermore, it can be provided that a second warning signal S2 is produced after the maximum filling quantity Vmax or the calculated partial quantity Vp of preforms 24 has been filled into the silo 22, for instance manually or in a partly or fully automated process. Both the first and the second warning signal S1, S2 can be acoustic as well as optical signals.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment form of a device 20 according to the invention for providing preforms 24. The detection device 40 or the scale 41 determines the mass of the preforms 24 in the silo 22, which leads to the display unit and/or control unit 42 calculating the actual quantity Va of preforms 24.

The display unit and/or control unit 42 furthermore determines and saves the respective quantity Vi of preforms 24 that have been filled in. It is, for instance, possible to write the respective actual quantity Va to a separate data logger of the display unit and/or control unit 42 immediately after each refill of new preforms 24. Based on the sum of all filling quantities Vi and the known target quantity Vt, the display unit and/or control unit 42 determines a residual quantity Vr (not illustrated here, cf. FIG. 3). From this residual quantity Vr, the display unit and/or control unit 42 calculates the respective filling quantity Vr, and in particular whether it is required to refill a maximum quantity Vmax or a partial quantity Vp. These data are transmitted to a filler 44, which fills the corresponding maximum quantity Vmax or the calculated partial quantity Vp of preforms 24 into the silo 22. On reaching the specified filling quantity Vmax, Vp, the filling process by the filler 44 is automatically stopped.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   1 Device for feeding preforms -   2 Preform -   3 Packaging unit/box with preforms -   4 Silo -   5 Inclined conveyor -   6 Roller sorter -   7 Elevator conveyor -   8 Slide -   9 Infeed star -   10 Heating section -   11 Blow molding machine -   12 Bottle -   13 Conveyor -   20 Device for providing preforms -   22 Silo -   24 Preform -   26 Removal conveyor -   30 Blow molding machine -   40 Detection device -   41 Scale -   42 Display unit and/or control unit -   43 Display panel -   44 Filler -   D Throughput -   Na Current quantity -   S1 First warning signal -   S2 Second warning signal -   t Time period to next refill -   TR Transport direction -   Vi Filling quantity/filling mass -   Va Actual quantity/actual mass -   Vmin Minimum quantity/minimum mass -   Vmax Maximum quantity/maximum mass -   Vr Residual quantity/residual mass -   Vt Target quantity/target mass -   Vp Partial quantity/partial mass 

We claim:
 1. A device (20) for providing consumable material (24) for a packaging machine (30) wherein the device (20) comprises: a magazine (22) for the consumable material (24), from which magazine the consumable material (24) for the ongoing operation is removable and feedable to the packaging machine (30) via a feed device (26), characterized in that the device (20) comprises a detection device (40) for determining an actual quantity (Va) of consumable material (24) in the magazine (22).
 2. The device (20) as recited in claim 1 wherein the detection device (40) is a unit (41) for determining an absolute mass or an actual mass (Va).
 3. The device (20) as recited in claim 2 wherein the detection device (40) is coupled to a display unit or control unit (42).
 4. The device as recited in claim 3 wherein the actual quantity (Va, Na) of consumable material (24) in the magazine (22) is displayable by means of the display unit or control unit (42).
 5. The device (20) as recited in claim 4 wherein the display unit or control unit (42) comprises a warning function by means of which a first warning signal (S1) can be produced on the actual quantity (Va) of consumable material (24) in the magazine (22) falls below a predefined minimum quantity (Vmin).
 6. The device (20) as recited in claim 5 wherein by means of the display unit or control unit (42), a residual quantity (Vr) of consumable material (24) can be determined from a known target quantity (Vt) and a total amount of filling quantities (Vi).
 7. The device (20) as recited in claim 6 wherein the magazine (22) is arranged on the unit (41) for determining a mass or wherein the unit (41) for determining a mass is integrated into the base section of the magazine (22) or wherein the unit (41) for determining a mass is arranged upstream of the magazine (22).
 8. The device as recited in claim 7 wherein a display panel (43) of the display unit or control unit (42) is stationarily arranged at the device (20) or wherein the display unit or control unit (42) comprises at least one mobile display panel (43), which is wirelessly controllable by the display unit or control unit (42) and which displays the determined or calculated values.
 9. A method for providing consumable material (24) for a packaging machine (40) by a device according to claim 1, wherein the consumable material is provided as bulk material in a magazine (22) and is removed from the magazine (22) by means of at least one conveyor device (26) and fed to the packaging machine (30) wherein the magazine (22) can accommodate a defined maximum quantity (Vmax) of consumable material (24), the method comprising: detecting an actual quantity (Va) of consumable material (24) in the magazine (22) by a detection device (40) coupled to the magazine (22).
 10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising transmitting the actual quantity (Va), which is detected by the detection device (40), to a display unit or control unit (42) or wherein the display unit or control unit (42) calculates and displays a residual quantity (Vr) of consumable material (24) required for an ongoing production.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the display unit or control unit (42) produces a first warning signal (S1) on the actual quantity (Va) of consumable material (24) in the magazine (22) reaching or falling below a defined minimum quantity (Vmin).
 12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the display unit or control unit (42) calculates a filling quantity (Vi) of consumable material (24) from the calculated residual quantity (Vr), which corresponds to either the maximum quantity (Vmax) of consumable material (24) or to a partial quantity (Vp).
 13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the display unit or control unit (42) displays the quantity of consumable material (Vp, Vmax) that has to be filled into the magazine (22).
 14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the display unit or control unit (42) produces a second warning signal (S2) when the magazine (22) contains the calculated quantity (Vp, Vmax) of consumable material (24).
 15. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the display unit or control unit (42) controls a filling device (44), which fills consumable material (24) into the magazine (22), and wherein the display unit or control unit (42) stops the filling process when the magazine (22) contains the calculated quantity (Vp, Vmax) of consumable material (24). 